Some Apple Watch pre-orders won't ship until August

Gallery: Some Apple Watch pre-orders won't ship until August

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Apple has started accepting pre-orders for its potentially revolutionary Watch, but some customers were reporting lengthy shipping delays just minutes after it went on sale.

On Twitter some buyers found their models were reported to be shipping on April 24. But attempting to order an Apple Watch Sport (42mm, white band) at 8.12 am resulted in an estimated dispatch time of 4 to 6 weeks. A yellow gold Apple Watch Edition with a red modern buckle strap has a shipping time of "August".

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The Apple Watch will be released on April 24, but it will only be possible at launch to buy one of the devices online. Apple is offering "fitting" appointments at its stores, and will feature a full range of watches for customers to try on and play with. But to actually buy one you'll need to order on Apple's website or via the mobile app -- the days of the Apple queue, at least for this product, appear to be numbered.

The Apple Watch starts at £299 for the 'Sport' model, which comes with an aluminium case and a rubberised "fluoroelastomer" band, up to £13,500 for a gold 'Edition' watch with a leather strap. Reviews have been broadly positive for the device, but there is also a general sense among first-wave reviews that it is a "first generation" product which will rapidly improve over time.

In WIRED's hands-on with the device in March, Katie Collins wrote: "While our first impressions are that the Apple Watch is a beautifully crafted piece of kit, it has literally just emerged from chrysalis and a lot of pressure is resting on its elegant wings. It is not just a new product for Apple, but a whole new product category and it will have to take on the daunting task of blazing a new trail for the company." "Some may balk at its 18-hour battery life, others may consider it a luxury too far, but it is undeniably a desirable item. Starting at £299, its price tag may not prove as much as a deterrent as many have anticipated. In the premium watch market, its price wouldn't be considered extravagant even for an ornamental timepiece, and the Apple Watch offers too much functionality to be considered a mere status symbol."

The Watch is available to pre-order in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany Hong Kon, Japan, the UK and the US. More countries will be added over time, Apple has said.